Howard Hughes Essay Example for Free

Howard Hughes Essay Howard Hughes, one of the most mysterious men in America. He achieved the American dream by not only becoming wealthy but he also built an empire. A businessman, plane designer, movie producer, industrialist, was great in everything he focused in. Had and enormous wealth and intellect, and he also had achievement. He fortune with hard work in any job and with his great influential ideas. Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on December 24, 1905. He was the son of Allene Gano Hughes and Howard Robard Hughes Sr. , who invented the tri-cone roller bit which allowed rotary drilling for oil in previously inaccessible places. He also founded the Hughes Tool Company to commercialize this invention. Howard’s parents died when he was still a child; he inherited a considerable part of his father’s million dollar fortune. Howards goals as a child were to become the best golfer, the best pilot, and the best movie producer. Despite the fact that he attended great schools, he never got a diploma. His father arranged for him to attend math and engineering classes at the California Institute of Technology. Then he enrolled in the now-called Rice University. Hughes is best known as an aviation genius, because of all of his the designs, ideas, and invention of airplanes. He is famous for the H-4 Hercules, also known as the â€Å"Spruce Goose†, and is also known because of his eccentric behavior. He set many world records while flying that seemed unreachable in his time. On September 13, 1935, he set a new speed record aboard his H-1 Racer by setting a speed of 566 km per hour, the previous record was 505 km per hour. This H-1 was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1975; now it is on display at the National Air and Space Museum. On January 19, 1937, he set a trans-continental speed record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. On 1938 he set a record by flying around the world in 3 days and 19 hours; the preceding record was more than four hours. Hughes also received many awards; some are: the Harmon Aviatrix Trophy (1936 and in 1938) which is given for the most outstanding international achievements, the Collier Trophy (1939) which is the most prestigious award in the aviation field, and the Octave Chanute Award (1940) which is given for engineering innovations. Howard Hughes purchased Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) in 1939. This company grew along with his chairman Jack Frye. TWA broke Pan Am’s legal designation as the US sole international carrier, so TWA began transatlantic flights using the new Lockheed â€Å"Connie†, which was used as both a civilian airliner and U.S. military air transport plane. In 1950, the airline changed its name to Trans World Airlines (TWA), because it offered flying routes from Europe to all Asia until Hong Kong. Later with the Transpacific Route Case of 1969, TWA was able to fly in the Pacific Ocean too. TWA and Pan Am were the only U.S. airlines serving Europe. One of Hughes’s most famous designs was the H-4 Hercules, also known as the Spruce Goose. This was a jumbo boat that flew; it was specially designed for carrying soldiers in a war. The idea was to use it in World War II, but unfortunately the Hercules was finished just after the end of the war. This plane was another satisfactory idea of Hughes, because it successfully flew once with Hughes in control. This is why Howard had to testify against the Senate War Investigating Committee, but they failed to file a final report because the government didn’t permit planes made out of aircraft aluminum. So Hughes had to make the plane out of hard close-grained wood so he could accomplish his contract with the U.S. Government. This plane was on display next to RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California for many years, but now it is in McMinnville, Oregon where it is part of the Evergreen Aviation Museum. On July 7, 1946, Hughes was flying a prototype plane of the US Army, made by him, when an oil leak changed the way a propeller had to work. The plane started to drop down and crashed in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. When the plane finally stopped, after destroying three houses, the fuel tanks exploded, setting fire to the plane and a close house. In the accident, Hughes got a crushed collar bone, six crushed ribs and some third-degree burns, but besides this it affected him the rest of his life. With this he turned into a more unusual person because he developed an addiction to opiates because of use of morphine as a painkiller during his rehabilitation. He turned into an isolated person, developing a disease known as hypochondria, which makes a person preoccupied with physical health and body. This person believes, fears or is convinced that he has a serious disease, despite medical reassurance. Hughes became so isolated the he was inside a room for a little over 8 months, only opening the room for food carefully inspected for any germ. The main reason he left the room in 1947 was because he was called to testify. Senator Ralph Owen Brewster opposed the commercial interest of Howard Hughes. He said that Howard had received $40 million from the Defense Department without actually delivering the aircraft he had contracted to provide (which was the H-4 Hercules). Even though Hughes had everything against him, he combated Brewster with the same anger, accusing him of being corrupt. Hughes spread rumors about the senator’s close association with Pan Am (Hughes’s rival company), alleging that he received free flights and other things in return for help beating TWA. The senator also passed a bill to remove government approval for TWA flights across the Atlantic. Hughes openly said that Brewster had promised an end to the Senate investigation if he would agree to merge TWA with Pan Am. In reply, the senator, annoyed by the accusations, stood aside from leading the investigation to become a witness before the committee. He denied Hughes’s accusations and made several opposing accusations, but failed to harm Hughes. The senator’s reputation suffered greatly from this incident with Hughes. Howard Hughes died on April 5, 1976, at the age of 70 when he was going on an airplane from his penthouse in Mexico to a hospital in Houston. The autopsy showed that he died because of a kidney failure, plus in his bloodstream it appeared that he had 1.9 micrograms of codeine. This dose of codeine is more than fatal, and together with a good amount of valium it makes it fatal. Hughes was unrecognizable due to his long years of recluse. His hair, beard, finger and toe nails were disgustingly long. Doctors said that malnutrition to his 6’4† body helped him on his death, because he only weighed 90 lbs. Since he was too unrecognizable, the FBI had no other choice than to use the fingerprint identification to identify the body. Howard is buried in the cemetery of Glenwood in Houston. Hughes is worth writing research paper, because he is a genius on mostly everything related to plane designs. It is good to know that thanks to this man we are able to move fast and around the world. Jets are a great innovation on planes; Howard was the one of inventors of the jet propulsion airplanes, but wasn’t able to make the most out of them, because of his illness. I believe he is an inspiration for most of the youths out there wanting to study engineering, I think this is true, because Howard is my inspiration because of the great example he represents. Besides being a plane genius he was also a movie director producer which is also another reason why this man is a good research topic. Bibliography: Johnson, Bobby H. Howard Hughes The World Net Encyclopedia. Ed. Robert O Zeleny. Chicago World Enc. Inc, 1990. PBS Chasing the Sun- Howard Hughes [Online] Available http://www.pbs.org/Kcet/chasing the sun/innovators/hhughes.html, September 9, 2003. Golden Ages [Online] Available http://nationalaviation.org/museum-enshrinee/asp?eraid=3enshrineeid=302, September 12, 2003. Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes (New York: Norton, 1979). Charles Barton, Howard Hughes and His Flying Boat (Fallbrook, California: Aero, 1982). Michael Drosin, Citizen Hughes (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985). Howard Hughes, My Life and Opinions, ed. Robert P. Eaton (Chicago: Best Books Press, 1972). Robert Maheu, Next to Hughes: Behind the Power and Tragic Downfall of Howard Hughes, by His Closest Advisor (New York: HarperCollins, 1992). Harold Rhoden, High Stakes: The Gamble for the Howard Hughes Will (New York: Crown, 1980). Robert W. Rummel , Howard Hughes and TWA (Washington: Smithsonian Press, 1991). Tony Thomas, Howard Hughes in Hollywood (Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1985)

Influenza in London :: Journalism Spanish Flu Heatlh Essays

GLOBAL INFLUENZA REPORT: LONDON Bill Smith is a Health Correspondent for the "The Times" in London. He sends weekly reports to the Irvine World News. For the week of 22 October to 29 October 1918. With an end to the war on the horizon London continues to be ravaged by the Spanish Flu. As reported in The Times "The general death-rate last week increased to 41 per 1,000 of the population per annum compared with 12 at the same period last year. This is the highest death-rate for over 20 years."1 As a result of the current drastic increase in the number of people inflicted with the flu, all sectors of Society are being gravely impacted. In many areas schools are being closed with the reasons for closure being vast, the primary reason being the effort to prevent the spread of influenza amongst pupils. In other areas schools are being closed due to a lack of healthy staff. However, some medical authorities believe that the closing of schools is unnecessary, as closing schools would "...simply release the children and allow them to congregate in places where the danger of infection is greatest. [At the moment] Efficient ventilation and segregation are considered the best means of fighting the disease."2 In other sectors of public service, telephone services have been impacted as the complement of healthy telephonists has decreased.3 In Sleugh, as well as in many other communities, post offices have been closed, as postmasters have not been available. Additionally, Omnibus services are starting to be affected and it is expected that the number of schedule changes will increase if the outbreak is not brought under control. More concerning is that in several areas emergency services have been greatly reduced. As of Saturday 26 October "There were stated to be 1,300 members of the Metropolitan Police Force suffering from the disease yesterday, and in 25 cases it proved fatal.... Eighty-two members of the London Fire Brigade are off duty owing to influenza."4 Lord Nelson, of the Mayfair Community Council expressed the sentiment that he and his fellow residents are extremely distressed with the number of police and fire fighters inflicted with the flu, and that they hope that their fellow citizens will continue to be extra vigilant so that the services of these people will not be needed unnecessarily.

India’s Energy Scenario

Energy in India for the Coming Decades Anil Kakodkar Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, India [email  protected] gov. in The reforms initiated in India since the beginning of the nineties have led to rapid economic progress and better growth rates. In the first decade of this century the growth rates seem to be still better. Studies by several academics and consultants forecast continued high growth rate for the next several decades.I’ll quote two such studies, one by Dominic Wilson and Roopa Purushothaman of Goldmann Sachs [1] and the other by Dani Rodrik and Arvind Subramanian of the International Monetary Fund [2]. Wilson and Purushothaman write, â€Å"India has the potential to show the fastest growth over the next 30 to 50 years. Growth rate could be higher than 5 percent over the next 30 years and close to 5 percent as late as 2050 if development proceeds successfully. † Rodrik and Subramanian write, â€Å"†¦.. rowth in capital stock together with growth in factor productivity will yield output growth of 5. 4 percent. Over the next 20 years, the working age population is projected to grow at 1. 9 percent per year.If educational attainment and participation rates remain unchanged, labor growth will contribute another 1. 3 percent, yielding an aggregate growth rate of 6. 7 percent per year, or a per capita growth rate of 5. 3 percent. This is a lower bound estimate and, even so, would be significantly greater than the per capita growth rate of 3. percent achieved in the 1980s and 1990s. Over a 40-year period, a 5. 3 percent growth rate would increase the income of the average person nearly 8-fold. † Growth in economy is made possible by several inputs, the two most important being energy and human resource. In this conference, we are concerned about energy and so I’ll confine myself to energy. Energy is the engine for growth. It multiplies human labour and increases productivity in agriculture, industry as well as in serv ices. To sustain the growth rate in economy, energy supply has to grow in tandem.For a large country like India with its over one billion population and rapid economic growth rate, no single energy resource or technology constitutes a panacea to address all issues related to availability of fuel supplies, environmental impact, particularly, climate change, and health externalities. Therefore, it is necessary that all non-carbon emitting resources become an integral part of an energy mix – as diversified as possible – to ensure energy security to a country like India during the present century.Available sources are low carbon fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear energy and all these should be subject of increased level of research, development, demonstration and deployment. In the Department of Atomic Energy, we have conducted a study with the aim to quantify the likely growth in energy demand in India, and the role nuclear energy has to play in the decades to come. The ultimate objective was to formulate a strategic plan to meet the projected role to be played by nuclear energy [3].Energy intensity of GDP, defined as the ratio of the energy consumption to the GDP, has been observed to follow a certain trend worldwide. Below a certain level of development, growth results in increase in energy intensity. With further growth in economy, the energy intensity starts declining. Based on data by International Energy Agency [4], overall energy intensity of GDP in India is the same as in OECD countries, when GDP is calculated in terms of the purchasing power parity (PPP). Energy-GDP elasticity, the ratio of the growth rates of the two, remained around 1. from early fifties to mid-seventies. Since then it has been continuously decreasing. Electricity is the most important component of the primary energy. Electricity-GDP elasticity was 3. 0 till the mid-sixties. It has also decreased since then. Reasons for these energy–economy elasticity changes are : demographic shifts from rural to urban areas, structural economic changes towards lighter industry, impressive growth of services, increased use of energy efficient devices, increased efficiency of conversion equipments and inter-fuel substitution with more efficient alternatives.Based on the CMIE data [5], the average value of the Electricity-GDP elasticity during 1991-2000 has been calculated to be 1. 213 and that of the primary energy- GDP elasticity to be 0. 907. Estimating the future GDP growth rates of India from the projections made by Dominic Wilson and Roopa Prushothaman [1], taking the primary energy intensity fall to be 1. 2 percent per year [6], extrapolating the electricity intensity fall from past data till 2022 and subsequently a constant fall of 1. 2 percent year, the growth rates of the primary energy and electrical energy have been estimated as follows. Period |Primary Energy |Electricity | | |Percent Annual Growth |Percent Annual Growth | |2002-2022 |4. 6 |6. 3 | |2022-2032 |4. 5 |4. | |2032-2042 |4. 5 |4. 5 | |2042-2052 |3. 9 |3. 9 | These rates are the basis of the projections reported [3]. It may be recalled that historical primary energy and electricity growth rates during 1981- 2000 were 6 percent per year and 7. 8 percent per year respectively.Based on the growth rates given in the above table, per capita electricity generation would reach about 5300 kWh per year in the year 2052 and total about 8000 TWh. This would correspond to an installed capacity of around 1300 GWe. Annual primary energy consumption would increase from about 13. 5 EJ in 2002-03 to about 117 EJ in 2052-53. By then the cumulative energy expenditure will be about 2400 EJ. The present status of various fuel-resources in India is given in the table 1. The domestic mineable coal (about 38 BT) and the estimated hydrocarbon reserves (about 12 BT) together may provide about 1200 EJ of energy.To meet the projected demand of about 2400 EJ, one has to tap all options includ ing using the known fossil reserves efficiently, looking for increasing fossil resource base, competitive import of energy (including building gas pipe lines whenever and wherever permitted based on geo-political considerations and found feasible from techno-commercial considerations), harnessing full hydro potential for generation of electricity and increasing use of non-fossil resources including nuclear and non-conventional.Before proceeding further, I would like to explain the status of nuclear power technology in India. Comprehensive expertise in all aspects of nuclear fuel cycle and Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) has been acquired through self reliant means in India. PHWRs which constitute the mainstay of the first stage of our nuclear power programme are the most efficient systems in terms of uranium utilization and would enable about 10 GWe of nuclear installed capacity with our modest indigenous uranium resources.Having tied up the PHWR programme upto around half way mark, we have now embarked on the development of Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) based second stage of our programme with the construction of the 500 MWe Fast Breeder Reactor launched in October last year. Our studies indicate that we should be in a position to support around 500 GWe power generation capacity based on plutonium bred from indigenously available uranium. This is a part of the strategy of three stage programme formulated by India right in the beginning of the programme aimed eventually at exploitation of our vast thorium resources.With decades of R;D in our laboratories and Industry, India has come a long way since the inception of the programme and the current efforts are aimed at further improving the economy, enhancing safety and expanding the programme to meet the increasing electricity demand in the country. The 540 MWe PHWR unit at Tarapur that went critical on 6th March, about 8 month ahead of schedule is an important landmark in terms of efforts in this directio n. In addition to the indigenous technology, the Indian power programme includes two GE-BWRs which were set up as turnkey projects right at the inception of our programme.While these reactors are running well as a result of comprehensive backfits and upgrades carried out indigenously, our experience in terms of securing reliable fuel supply has not been satisfactory. Two 1000 MWe VVERs are presently under construction at Kudankulan and would contribute additional carbon free electricity to Indian grids when completed. Coming back to the energy growth scenario [3], the study points out that it is necessary to develop metallic fuel for the fast reactors during the next one decade.Metallic fuels have short doubling time and can ensure a fast enough growth in nuclear installed capacity. Assuming that the fast reactors to be set up after 2020 are based on metallic fuel, the study calculates the maximum possible contribution that can be made by nuclear till the middle of the century. Hydr o and non-conventional potential being limited, the remaining demand has to be met by the fossil fuels. The results indicate that it is possible to have one quarter of the contribution coming from nuclear by the middle of the century, if the fast reactor growth follows the course outlined.Even after the growth projected by the study, there will be shortages and the country will continue to import energy as at present. Research and development plans have to be formulated to ensure that new technologies can be deployed to reduce energy imports. Three efforts being made by the Department of Atomic Energy are worthy of mention here in this context. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is working on development of a Compact High Temperature Reactor with the aim of producing hydrogen, which could be the most important energy carrier in the future.Several institutions within the Department of Atomic Energy in India are together working for the development of Accelerator Driven Systems, so that on e could sustain growth with thorium systems and move towards incineration of long lived radioactive wastes. The Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), is spearheading the Indian effort in developing a fusion based system for the production of energy. One of the world’s first super conducting steady state tokamak with elongated diverter plasma having 1000 second operation capability is nearing completion at IPR.The Indian population corresponds to one sixth of world population. However, the carbon dioxide emission from India is only around 4% of the global emissions. On the basis of current energy mix and the present day technologies for electricity production, the CO2 emission from India alone could become as much as half of the present level of global emission in a few decades from now. A larger share of nuclear power in India beyond what would be realized through indigenous efforts would, in principle, contribute to further avoidance of CO2 emission which otherwise would be i nevitable.To conclude, the first stage of the indigenous nuclear power programme involving setting up of pressurized heavy water reactors is now in industrial domain. With the start of construction of the 500 MWe fast reactor in October last year, the second stage has been launched. It is time for India to accelerate the implementation of the second stage and development of the third stage of the nuclear power programme. In parallel, India has to continue to work towards development of emerging nuclear energy technologies to address its long term energy requirements which are indeed very large.References [1] Dominic Wilson and Roopa Purushothaman, â€Å"Dreaming with BRICs: the path to 2050† Global Economics Paper No 99, Goldmann Sachs, 1st October 2003. [2] Dani Rodrik and Arvind Subranium, â€Å"Why India can grow at 7 percent or more: projections and reflections†, IMF Working Paper, WP/04/118, July 2004. [3] R. B. Grover and Subash Chandra, â€Å"A strategy for gro wth of electrical energy in India†, Document No 10, Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai, India, August 2004. 4] International Energy Agency (IEA), Key World Energy Statistics, 2003. [5] Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) 2002, â€Å"Energy†, April 2002 [6] International Energy Agency (IEA), ‘World Energy Outlook 2002 Highlights’ p 32. Table 1: Primary energy ; electricity resources |   |Amount |Thermal energy |Electricity | | | | |potential |   |   |EJ |TWh |GWYr |GWe-Yr | |Fossil |   |   |   |   |   | |Coal |38 -BT |667 |185,279 |21,151 |7,614 | |Hydrocarbon |12 -BT |511 |141,946 |16,204 |5,833 | |Non-Fossil |   |   |   |   |   | | Nuclear |   |   |   |   |   | | Uranium-Metal |61,000 -T |   |   |   |   | |In PHWRs |   |28. |7,992 |913 |328 | |In Fast breeders |   |3,699 |1,027,616 |117,308 |42,231 | | Thorium-Metal |2,25,000 -T |   |   |   |   | |In Breeders |   |13,622 |3,783,886 |431,950 |155,502 | | Renewable |   |   |   |   |   | | Hydro |150 -GWe |6. 0 |1,679 |192 |69 | |Non-conventional renewable |100 -GWe |2. 9 |803 |92 |33 | Assumptions for Potential Calculations Fossil 1. Complete Source is used for calculating electricity potential with a thermal efficiency of 0. 36. 2. Calorific Values: Coal: 4,200 kcal/kg, Hydrocarbon: 10,200 kcal/kg. 3.Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas [7]has set strategic goals for the next two decades (2001-2020) of ‘doubling reserve accretion’ to 12 BT (Oil + Oil equivalent gas) and â€Å"improving recovery factor’ to the order of 40%. Considering the fact that exploration is a dynamic process and India is one of the les explored countries, reference [3] assumes that cumulative availability of hydrocarbons up to 2052 will be 12 BT. Non-Fossil Thermal energy is the equivalent fossil energy required to produce electricity with a thermal efficiency of 0. 36. Nuclear 1. PHWR burn-up = 6,700 MWd/T of U-ox ide, thermal efficiency 0. 29 2. It has been assumed that complete fission of 1kg. of fissile material gives 1000 MWd of thermal energy. Fast reactor thermal efficiency is assumed to be 42%. Fast breeders can use 60% of the Uranium. This is an indicative number.Actual value will be determined as one proceeds with the programme and gets some experience. Even if it is half of this value the scenario presented does not change. 3. Breeders can use 60% Thorium with thermal efficiency 42%. At this stage, type of reactors wherein thorium will be used are yet to be decided. The numbers are only indicative. Hydro 1. Name plate capacity is 150 GWe. 2. Estimated hydro- potential of 600 billion kWh and name plate capacity of 150,000 MWe gives a capacity factor of 0. 46. Non-conventional renewable 1. Includes: Wind 45 GWe, Small Hydro 15 GWe, Biomass Power/ Co-generation 19. 5 GWe and Waste to Energy 1. 7 GWe etc. 2. Capacity factor of 0. 33 has been assumed for potential calculations.

5 Sedimentary Rock Diagrams